Bradley Klahn returns to the show to discuss the finale of his playing career, as he hung up his racket after playing the Stanford Challenger last August. Klahn recaps how he came to that decision, finding structure again as a commentator and financial professional, and shares some of the memories from his career that make him smile.
The current TC commentator also dives into a ton of current topics in the tennis world, such as Alexander Bublik’s improbable title, Holger Rune ending his relationship with coach Boris Becker, and the boom of college tennis players at the professional level. Hosted by Mitch Michals.
You can listen to this episode on all of your favorite podcast platforms by clicking on this link: https://link.chtbl.com/7YNRqeyj?sid=YT
All right now joining us on Tennis Channel inside in second time on the show officially reaching that reoccurring guest status uh just completed his pro career last August at the Stanford Challenger putting a bow end on a career that included the 2020 2012 National Championship for the Stanford Cardinal as well Bradley Khan
Joining us had some matches to call today Bradley welcome back to the show been a while since we caught up thanks a lot man it’s always an honor to join you and be a repeat customer again yeah there’s just quite a bit to get to and I
Know you’re fresh in the tennis spear calling all these matches on T2 and Abu Dhabi and the WTA which we’re going to get to but you’re officially on the other side of uh your playing career and we kind of talked about it you’ve been
On shows the end was near but you uh you hang it up at your last tournament it was kind of poetic in a way at Stanford but if you can talk me through that process how you got to that point of you know this is going to be the end and how
Fitting it was that it was where you you know dominated the college game for so long yeah it was becoming increasingly clear that my body wasn’t able to handle the rigors uh of the tour was struggling with some injuries at the beginning of 20123 also had to be very honest with
Myself about how long I was going to continue uh if I wanted to get myself back into the top 100 understanding what that process was like and understanding what like was like on the other side of playing professional tennis when I was in it it it’s all encompassing I am so
Fortunate to have had an 11-year career but I realized that it was it was time it just it over the last three years since my most recent back surgery I think it had been a thought in my head of trying to figure out when is the
Right time how do I want to do it how do I want to enjoy the last couple years on tour and I think that I really was able to do that towards the end of my career I missed the Kay Court season with another injury but I was able to finish
Off in the summer and it was no secret I always played my best T Tenn on the hard courts particularly in the summer I feel fortunate I was able to play a couple of my favorite events in Atlanta and DC and then you I think DC was really fun
Moment for me just to to qualify win a few matches recapture some of that that those positive emotions that really made me fall in love with just the game of tennis but also the pro the pro ranks and to be able to then finish off my career at Stanford which
Is really a second home for me I you know it was the first time tournament it just popped up I was really struggling towards the end of my career was hoping to play the US Open and and physically after DC just knew that it was the time was near and I it I
Remember thinking through that Sunday I think I played on a Monday at Stanford Saturday Sunday it just you know I hadn’t really made the decision that it was going to be there in New York and it just felt right and at Stanford it I just kind of had this wave of emotion
And relief of understanding that this was going to be it I didn’t want to guess torture my body anymore and and really enjoy that last last event on court one had some family girlfriend a lot of people in the Sanford area that had supported me throughout my college
Career and all the way through the pros and uh it was it was time yeah I mean it sounds like you know you put a lot of thought into the decision but also organically it came to be and in the schedule lined up to where Stanford was in August it was on the
Hardc courts as you said was processing that final match which also was against a Stanford guy too and Tristan Boyer so there’s poetry in that but did it take time to process maybe not the decision but that final match and then okay you wake up the next day and thinking about
It as I’m not an active pro tennis player anymore yeah it was weird it was really weird you know I think at the moment there was a a little bit of a sigh of relief when I woke up Tuesday morning I finished the match went out and grabbed a couple beers with
Brandon Coupe my assistant coach at Stanford and my girlfriend Lexi and just reminisce on my career both on tour but also at Stanford pal Alto has a lot of special memories for me on the tennis side socially uh educ tionally it’s just it’s a place where I’ve always felt at home
And every time I step foot on campus I’m just I leave with a positive feeling and just energized so to to wake up Tuesday morning and realize that I didn’t have to get in the gym and spend an hour and a half trying to loosen up my body and
And go through the the daily ritual that was to prepare me just to practice and play there was a sigh of relief for sure there’s definitely some sadness of mind that I won’t compete in that way again I think there’s I think that’s a notion that I’ve
Learned as I’ve transitioned out of pro tennis into other endeavors we can get into later that it’s there’s there’s always ways to flex that competitive muscle but it’s it’s different and you know tennis has been such a big part of my life competing on the Tenn tennis
Corp has been such a big part of my life that it’s it takes time to to process and you know look back on all the good and bad memories I think that’s really what what makes it special you know it’s those Peaks and valleys and those Peaks don’t happen without The Valleys in
Between right it’s um a very good nuan perspective you have it’s also what a lot of pro athletes as you’re learning now the ex- pro athletes say they miss the competition in the big matches but what we don’t see as fans on the outside is the six seven days of preparation
That goes into that that’s not really as Miss but you know you were in the top 1% of people in your field so you got to the Pro game you got to a pretty high ranking and you were able to make a lot of memories along the way and as you
Said you know it never really felt like a job I mean where else are you gonna if that story is correct right like where else are you gonna get a ride from an airport mechanic to catch a flight that’s true that was you know 2010 Binghamton you know those are the
Stories that really make it fun obviously I I love playing on the biggest stages some of my most memorable matches playing Center Court Wimbledon playing big matches at the US Open getting the crowd behind you but you do have to love the process that nobody
Sees as well to be able to enjoy those moments and I miss the training blocks in the Florida heat you know getting on Court and putting two three hours in and feeling miserable at the end but you know you’ve accomplished something and you know that you’ve put yourself in
Position that when you get to New York and you’re in a fifth set in that summer heat you can handle it so there there’s a lot of nuance behind the the curtain that’s you know makes for really fun stories like that bangton getting a ride from the airport mechanic it’s just
These are also the stories yeah everyone loves to hear about the big matches but there’s so many funny interactions great interactions you meet so many people behind the scenes that some way shape or form shape how you view the world and you know also I remember at my very first year on I
Guess end of my first full year on tour in Romania getting a ride back from the tournament from the tournament supervisor who lived in Bucharest just I had to wait around until the finals ended and hitch to ride with him four and a half hours we’re like going to
Stopping by his cousin’s house to get like a police scanner so there’s all these funny interactions that you don’t you know that stories are just waiting to be told that when I think back on my career I’ll remember those yeah interactions the interactions in the locker room with the players just as
Much as the match themselves yeah it’s a special thing to have that you know retroactive look at look these were the moments that really made me along the way enjoying the journey as you did you a lot of times athletes retire maybe not as much recently but it’s got to a point where
Structure is one of the things that they say that they miss and that they don’t really know how to go through the day-to-day plan without being told this is what I’m accomplishing these are the objectives I will say yourself and maybe athletes of this generation Bradley have
Done a good job of planning out their future after Sports you kind of knew that you were rounding third base for a lack of a better metaphor that the procur was winding down you got into broadcasting the financial games some other companies but kind of walking through that process
Bradley did you know that with retirement looming that it was good to kind of plan out and track you know track out your future so to speak for the day that you weren’t playing anymore definitely uh you hit the nail on the head with structure and that’s what
Athletes I believe and what I Str struggled with the most as well even in the time really when I retired is you wake up and it’s nice for a week or two but then you wake up and you’re like ah what do I what am I what do I have to
Look forward to and I always look forward to getting on the practice course some days more so than others you know there’s certainly days where it’s it’s a little bit more of a chore but then you get outside and you realize that I’m hitting tennis bowls for living
And working on this and it’s it’s not so bad but I am always someone who’s needed that next challenge and need some of the structure and I feel very fortunate that I was planning for that before I officially retired it was crucial for me just to
Have that peace of mind and I also think that it helped me spre up a little bit towards the end and enjoy the last couple tournaments something that I don’t think I had a great handle on throughout my probably the middle end of my career was really stressed about what
Was next and would let it seep into some of the matches but I think once I really dialed in on what I was doing it I I really enjoyed those last events Atlanta DC you know I look feel fortunate that I can look back on the last two three
Months of my career like I I maximized I got to play in fun cities I reconnected with friends we got out and explored it wasn’t all about the tennis and it made it more enjoyable and then using that transitioning directly into having some of that experience in broadcasting
Already while I was playing and being a current player allowing me to provide a different insight and then being able to immediately jump into the broadcast casting I think really helped me contextualize my career and also be able to tell the stories of the current players not just their game and
Different matchups but you know behind the curtain like give fans a look behind the curtain and and then on the other side also find a great family in monograph Wealth Advisors where I am now currently working as a wealth strategy Associates being able to start with them
In October and really have that next purpose you I feel fortunate that I went from having the pro tennis family and then I jump in and I have two families and Tennis Channel and monograph so for me it’s it’s a busy time but there’s a lot of learning I am it’s been really
Fun to balance myself in a new way in the weal advising World learn new subject matter understand how the pieces of the puzzle fit together and also be able to apply lessons from both right the tennis world and the wealth advising world and understand different metaphors and
How they might seem separate but there’s a lot of ways to look at it similarly someone that thrives in your case when they’re busier you know it’s probably better to have so much going on and you know like like they say there’s only so much golf you can play right I
Know you’re the length a lot but you can’t you know can’t play all the time uh know it was it was a heck of a career so again hats off to you and you know looking at it starting in 2012 and and finishing up last year over a decade as
We kind of you know transition here on this show to the current stuff going on how would you say or what would you say change the most about the pro game from the time you entered it to the time you left I think athleticism uh and just ball striking
Are continuing to elevate when I started on tour I felt like the the pace wasn’t as consistently High you certainly had big servers you had guys that had serious Firepower off both sides but there was a little bit more room for I would say controlling the point
Moving the ball around with a little bit more finesse and feel I was a guy who used my slice a lot off the backhand side I relied on that change of pace big forehand slice backhand throw guys off come over it occasionally but just give players two different
Looks I don’t think you see that nowadays I think the game is so physical you don’t see guys with any holes necessarily I feel like maybe more well-rounded but I would say there’s still room for some of that creativity I think Danielle meddev is a great example
Of someone who might play a little bit more unorthodox in the traditional sense but he is a master uh chess player on the tennis court and the way he thinks through problems you know one thing that was amazing to me to stand up that stood out watching him in Australia was his
Ability to adapt and move forward when he realized the legs weren’t there started taking returns early he played more aggressive just B adaptability uh was amazing for me to see look at a guy like yaner who is at such a young age was able to make a
Complete change to his service Motion in the middle of the year and has seen it pay dividends and also be able to stick with it it’s hard to make that change in a two week span when you’ve been serving your whole you know one way and then go
Out and do it in a match and it’s one thing to do it in practice 50 times it’s another thing to do it at 4030 all in the third set yeah yeah so you know I think you’re seeing I guess to sum it up I just think there’s so much more Pace consistently
You’re seeing bigger like more size I don’t have the numbers this is purely my own feel I didn’t feel like I was that small when I steep foot on I’m six feet there were plenty of guys taller than me but usually it was okay tall guy
6’4 65 gonna be a big serve but maybe you need to you need to try and expose the movement yeah they’re moving are you gonna expose verb’s movement like he moves you know these guys are moving exceptionally well right and they have the size and reach so definitely there I
I love watching guys like Gregor demitro still use the slice uh effectively and throw guys off break the Rhythm as someone who used that strategy so it’s it’s fun to see different game styles continue to emerge and see some of these quote unquote veterans find success another I can keep rattling off
Names but another guy for me it’s Adrien manarino who broke into the top 20 for the first time he’s 35 I believe yeah I think it’s 35 36 yeah best career year of his career last year career here and another guy that is very tricky to play
Because every ball is down below your knees and yeah it’s hard to play that style of tennis that looks very good on TV both guys wailing from corner to corner on the ball moving incredibly there’s a little bit more of a chess match with him yeah that you know Ben Shelton found
That out the hard way and it wasn’t about how hard you hit it and how hard you can serve there’s a chess match there more here with Bradley Quan on Tennis Channel inside in uh a lot of good points of how the games changed smaller tournaments in the month of
February but we’re moving on here in the season and there’s still a lot to play for a lot of dividend that can be paid one of the guys I think you’ve mixed up with at least once or twice on court won a title last week in Buick he wins Mount
Pelier uh and it was really you know a shocking thing not just that he goes the distance and wins the title but he lost the first set in every one of his matches Bradley and this is a guy that you know has been known at times to
Maybe check out or dip out a little bit when it hasn’t gone well but he showed you why exactly the skills always been there and it was kind of I don’t want to say jarring but it was cool to see him dig in time and time again and not you
Know exit stage left and again full marks to him he beat some quality opponents to win that title yeah another guy who’s at his career high I’ve played him a couple times over the course of my career and you’re right that was always the I guess the M Mo was you know try
And hold on and get Can you steal the first set can you allow him to beat himself he’s always a guy that’s had the big serve he’s been very talented moves well for another guy big guy who moves well for his side but it was always that Kenny actually put it
Together will he dig in and fight and look everyone matures that he’s still you know ear like mid 20s yeah everyone comes along at their own pace and he’s I know he’s talked about in the past of it not necessarily enjoying the tennis as much and I think
Talking more like for the money but he’s said damn good tennis player and when he when it clicks and when he digs in he is a hard out it’s it’s a guy that you know we talk about we talked earlier everyone Hitting off both sides cleanly you know
Pace is similar see a similar ball he’s a guy that will mix it up throw in some different looks and he can take you out of your own game I know when I played him it’s been very uncomfortable because you don’t feel settled you never know if
He’s going to go for a huge second serve down break point you want to try and you know step in take it early but maybe he’s going to go 120 into the body or maybe just going to roll it in do you stay back so he gets you thinking in ways that is
Challenging and presents problems to opponents and I think he’s a very fun guy to watch I always appreciate nuances to the game and and throwing in variety yeah there was a lot of strategy in that match specifically against sh he he did some things tactically that
Worked well U but again I mean his game is so Dynamic love to see him digging in I do want to mention quickly on the women’s side we had a pair of Champions ASA Peno playing her best tennis of you know the last six or seven years easily
Wins another title and ly’s her second of the Year already and then Diana schneer another college tennis Alum gets that title as well so the women side is holding firm with AA Peno but you have to give love to the college tennis team which is producing more and more Pros
Than even when you came onto the tour it seems like you know the game’s been been littered with all these great players these college players and aren’t just on tour but they’re factors in the championship weekends it’s awesome to see I know when I step foot into college
Yeah guys like John Isner Kevin Anderson Tom Dev dearman coming out of college making their name in the Pro ranks then my class Steve Johnson Austin kek been number one in the world in doubles start to see more guys have success but yeah you know when I came
On T there was a little bit of I don’t know if it was an inferiority complex or just you weren’t sure like there was college tennis was talked down upon a little bit more negativ it was it was a little bit okay he went back to school how serious is he whereas now
You’ve seen cam Nory break into the top 10 obviously Ben Shelton is a phenomenal example of you know immediate Skyrocket to start him but Chris Eubanks a great example uh going three years to Georgia Tech taking time on tour to figure it out and then really excelling uh
Breaking into the top 100 in Miami last year and then we’ve seen his uh meteoric rise up into the top 35 so what I think and then you mentioned on the women said you also said Jenny Brady make the final uh Daniel Collins Jenny Brady making the
Final of Australia and opened a couple years ago Daniel Collins mentioned Schneider winning her first title after one year at NC State so I think once you see more people do it you all of a sudden get this glimmer of hope in your eye oh it’s it’s a viable pathway I
Also let’s not um take away from the partnership that ATP uh and the college ranks have and I believe the WTA or the ITF has also implemented a system to to promote opportunities for some of these players who are highly ranked in college to get a head start in their Pro careers
And receive wild cards in the Challenger level events so I just think it’s it’s an overall promotion of the college game translating to the pros and that exudes confidence that it it’s possible it’s been phenomenal to see I agree completely with that and uh have to also mention too another another thing
Phenomenal to Stephen I know you you would appreciate this Bradley is Ariana Rod NOA getting the top 100 at age 34 you know for someone that’s been just battling and battling and putting the work in to have this breakthrough at this stage in the game is very cool to
See it’s awesome it’s a testament to perseverance never giving up on the dream and also just a reminder that not everyone’s path is the same everyone loves to see the stars the Carlos alarz fantex breaking through early as teenagers early 20s but this sport is made up of all different
Stories and for some you get there just by continuing to put the work in and being willing to stay out there longer than others and eventually trusting that you’ll get that opportunity before we wrap this up Bradley this has been a blast Bradley Clan here on Tennis Channel inside in
Looking ahead to this week and Beyond and what we have on the tennis calendar I want to get your thoughts on one of the Premier players of the game who’s kind of shuffling the pieces to say the least olar Runa is you know not going to
Be working with Boris Becker W is also out of there too we don’t know the specifics of what exactly happened but I I come to you with this I’m a hogar Runa fan I think he’s great for the game I think the potential is still there but
I’m also a fan of continuity and he hasn’t seemed to find that in the last couple months couple years even what do you think could Propel him to find that and just build a relationship because I think you know he’s going to be judged with his talent to some of the games
Greats for a long time so how can he find that continuity and find that team yeah you make a great point because he I would say has proven more so than the others that the results at the high end can be there beats Novak jokovic wins his first Masters event in Paris in
20122 I believe but he’s also prone to these streaks even before the that run in 2022 I know he went through a pretty substantial losing streak before finding it on the indoor courts I think without that continuity and that voice that just the consistent presence somebody
To I guess hold the reins back a little bit you always have to be careful he’s a fiery passionate guy he makes no qualms about it and I think that is great about him it’s awesome for the sport he has the Firepower from the back of the court to challenge all these
Great it’s a matter of harnessing that in a more consistent way and that’s where maybe some consistency from a coach who’s understands his personality you know I’m a big believer in you really need the personal relationship between the coach and player to be there you spend more time with your coach than
Your significant other so if you don’t get along with them first and foremost you’re not going to trust the message right coming from the coach and that can lead to inconsistencies that can also lead to high turnover so finding a coach that really Buys in uh
And that hogar buys in too is is key you know I still think he’s so young and the fact that he is already cracking you know he’s established himself in the top 10 he’s been knocking on the door of top five I don’t remember what his career high
Was but he’s already proven that he’s beaten he can beat these top players now it’s just a matter of being able to do this week in week out he’s gotten as high as number four so he’s been there okay so he’s been he’s been there uh so
Now you know the next stage for him is can you solidify yourself in that top four and and to do that you know you look at the top four now alcarez jokovic meddev CER how are you going to break through there’s a pretty substantial major between Sinner and rublev at five
Currently so that comes with consistency know Center what’s enabled to make this rise he besides throwing up in a bucket in Beijing he he’s beaten Novak three or four times he’s won his last four against meddev these guys are consistently there each week so that’s to me that’s where
Hog’s upside is is being able to not just have the flash on the pan and H be streaky but be able to put it together for a calendar year Center proving that you could flip the narrative too right not only working on his game but was 0
And six I believe against Mev and you know F that around completely so you can change and develop uh well before we before we go here I mean I know you’re on T2 calling uh matches a lot of uh Abu Dhabi for the ladies so what stood out
In that tournament I think you know we saw Emma County with a big win early then an boor beats her today uh we saw I think the longest match of the year a 343 head Ed myo in that match that somehow had a 61 set the third set still
Went that long crazy but what else has stood out for you or what stood out Bradley from Abu Dhabi on the women’s side yeah San CA not winning a match to start 2024 and then digging out a tough thre Setter against Caroline Garcia and then obliterating Maria Zachary
Today she’s looking good starting to put some confidence together I think Luda Sam sonova Durano had a tough go of it the last two matches coming up with one game she got double Bagel by sabalenka in Australia but Sam sonov was firing on all cylinders another person
Who that was her first win of the Year know curious to see rakina yeah how she she’s got a tough first round against Danielle Collins so be anxious to see that one tomorrow but uh yeah a lot of good tennis Hadad Maya you mentioned that match
How she she gets a day off so how does she recover an shabber was very efficient against ranu today yeah an’s actually you know winning that match and you know looking fit which was the big part of you know we know the emotional baggage but also she was banged up last
Year so looking fit and there is there’s comfort for her playing in her home region of the world so we like to see an another variety player as you mentioned that mixes it up and plays a different way and I also want to just conclude on
For the men we talk about February being maybe a slower part of the tennis year there’s still a lot to prove there’s still a lot to play for and a lot to prove you know three of the top American men all bunched in the rankings Paul Shelton and tifo and even in Eubanks
Thror in there too you know all in Dallas all with an opportunity to maybe you know separate themselves from the pack and you know there is some territorial there I know they’re all friends and friendly but there’s a real chance to kind of separate yourself here
If you’re one of those guys yeah you know it’s it’s one of the few months of the year on the at calendar at least where there’s not a 1,000 or a grand slam you mentioned three 250s this week you’ve got indoor hard in Dallas indoor in marsel clay courts and C Cordoba for
Those that are inclined to the slick stuff not my cup of tea but you know it’s it provides a lot of opportunities I you know I watched freder Rico Coria make the finals last year in Cordoba he’s been hovering on the top 100 out in the last rankings has to essentially
Final to keep himself there digs through yesterday against almeer who’s no slots on the clay beat Center last year Roland garos you look at Dallas you mentioned those three Americans all bunched together tough Franc TFO plays a young upand Comer Alex Mickelson another top American so there’s a lot of
Opportunities for these guys to increase their match count right TFO second round Australian Open lost to mahot who has actually looked pretty good in Mars’s and the quarters he beat Murray and musetti back-to-back days Shelton third round of Australia you mentioned earlier losing to manarino Tommy also had a tough one had match
Points against KET manovich in Australia so all these guys have this opportunity to to get some matches under their belt build towards aapco 500 Thomas made the final last year there and then look into Indian Wells Miami so a lot to play for it’s early in the season you know one of
The keys for the start of the year is just getting this much match play under your belt and away they go yeah we look at all these breakthroughs Bradley where we say wow what a great run at Indian Welles or Miami or Rowan garos even but take it
Back even further a lot of them start at the small events it started with a run to a title or a big win here and a big result there so ADV to see how it progresses uh Bradley con always a pleasure uh congrats again on finishing
Up a great career and you know working your way into the next phase of your life you’re always welcome on this show can’t wait to do it again thanks for coming on Tennis Channel inside in thanks for having me on MIT really appreciate it
1 Comment
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